{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/4.1-603.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/4.1-603.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/4.1-603.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/4.1-603.html"}],"law_id":66869,"edition_id":1,"section_id":66869,"structure_id":14477,"section_number":"4.1-603","catch_line":"Cannabis Public Health Advisory Council; purpose; membership; quorum; meetings; compensation and expenses; duties","history":"2021, Sp. Sess. I, cc. 550, 551.","full_text":"A\n\nThe Cannabis Public Health Advisory Council (the Advisory Council) is established as an advisory council to the Board. The purpose of the Advisory Council is to assess and monitor public health issues, trends, and impacts related to marijuana and marijuana legalization and make recommendations regarding health warnings, retail marijuana and retail marijuana products safety and product composition, and public health awareness, programming, and related resource needs.B\n\nThe Advisory Council shall have a total membership of 21 members that shall consist of 14 nonlegislative citizen members and seven ex officio members. Nonlegislative citizen members of the Council shall be citizens of the Commonwealth and shall reflect the racial, ethnic, gender, and geographic diversity of the Commonwealth. Nonlegislative citizen members shall be appointed as follows: four to be appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules, one of whom shall be a representative from the Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth, one of whom shall be a representative from the Virginia Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, one of whom shall be a representative from the Medical Society of Virginia, and one of whom shall be a representative from the Virginia Pharmacists Association; six to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Delegates, one of whom shall be a representative from a community services board, one of whom shall be a person or health care provider with expertise in substance use disorder treatment and recovery, one of whom shall be a person or health care provider with expertise in substance use disorder prevention, one of whom shall be a person with experience in disability rights advocacy, one of whom shall be a person with experience in veterans health care, and one of whom shall be a person with a social or health equity background; and four to be appointed by the Governor, subject to confirmation by the General Assembly, one of whom shall be a representative of a local health district, one of whom shall be a person who is part of the cannabis industry, one of whom shall be an academic researcher knowledgeable about cannabis, and one of whom shall be a registered medical cannabis patient.\n\t\t\tThe Secretary of Health and Human Resources, the Commissioner of Health, the Commissioner of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services, the Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services, the Director of the Department of Health Professions, the Director of the Department of Forensic Science, and the Chief Executive Officer of the Virginia Cannabis Control Authority, or their designees, shall serve ex officio with voting privileges. Ex officio members of the Advisory Council shall serve terms coincident with their terms of office.\n\t\t\tAfter the initial staggering of terms, nonlegislative citizen members shall be appointed for a term of four years. Appointments to fill vacancies, other than by expiration of a term, shall be for the unexpired terms. Vacancies shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointments. All members may be reappointed.\n\t\t\tThe Advisory Council shall be chaired by the Secretary of Health and Human Resources or his designee. The Advisory Council shall select a vice-chairman from among its membership. A majority of the members shall constitute a quorum. The Advisory Council shall meet at least two times each year and shall meet at the call of the chairman or whenever the majority of the members so request.\n\t\t\tThe Advisory Council shall have the authority to create subgroups with additional stakeholders, experts, and state agency representatives.C\n\nMembers shall receive no compensation for the performance of their duties but shall be reimbursed for all reasonable and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties as provided in §§ 2.2-2813 and 2.2-2825.D\n\nThe Advisory Council shall have the following duties, in addition to duties that may be necessary to fulfill its purpose as described in subsection A:1\n\nTo review multi-agency efforts to support collaboration and a unified approach on public health responses related to marijuana and marijuana legalization in the Commonwealth and to develop recommendations as necessary.2\n\nTo monitor changes in drug use data related to marijuana and marijuana legalization in the Commonwealth and the science and medical information relevant to the potential health risks associated with such drug use, and make appropriate recommendations to the Department of Health and the Board.3\n\nSubmit an annual report to the Governor and the General Assembly for publication as a report document as provided in the procedures of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems for the processing of legislative documents and reports. The chairman shall submit to the Governor and the General Assembly an annual executive summary of the interim activity and work of the Advisory Council no later than the first day of each regular session of the General Assembly. The executive summary shall be submitted as a report document as provided in the procedures of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems for the processing of legislative documents and reports and shall be posted on the General Assembly’s website.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":242471,"text":"The Cannabis Public Health Advisory Council (the Advisory Council) is established as an advisory council to the Board. The purpose of the Advisory Council is to assess and monitor public health issues, trends, and impacts related to marijuana and marijuana legalization and make recommendations regarding health warnings, retail marijuana and retail marijuana products safety and product composition, and public health awareness, programming, and related resource needs.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":242472,"text":"The Advisory Council shall have a total membership of 21 members that shall consist of 14 nonlegislative citizen members and seven ex officio members. Nonlegislative citizen members of the Council shall be citizens of the Commonwealth and shall reflect the racial, ethnic, gender, and geographic diversity of the Commonwealth. Nonlegislative citizen members shall be appointed as follows: four to be appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules, one of whom shall be a representative from the Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth, one of whom shall be a representative from the Virginia Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, one of whom shall be a representative from the Medical Society of Virginia, and one of whom shall be a representative from the Virginia Pharmacists Association; six to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Delegates, one of whom shall be a representative from a community services board, one of whom shall be a person or health care provider with expertise in substance use disorder treatment and recovery, one of whom shall be a person or health care provider with expertise in substance use disorder prevention, one of whom shall be a person with experience in disability rights advocacy, one of whom shall be a person with experience in veterans health care, and one of whom shall be a person with a social or health equity background; and four to be appointed by the Governor, subject to confirmation by the General Assembly, one of whom shall be a representative of a local health district, one of whom shall be a person who is part of the cannabis industry, one of whom shall be an academic researcher knowledgeable about cannabis, and one of whom shall be a registered medical cannabis patient.\n\t\t\tThe Secretary of Health and Human Resources, the Commissioner of Health, the Commissioner of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services, the Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services, the Director of the Department of Health Professions, the Director of the Department of Forensic Science, and the Chief Executive Officer of the Virginia Cannabis Control Authority, or their designees, shall serve ex officio with voting privileges. Ex officio members of the Advisory Council shall serve terms coincident with their terms of office.\n\t\t\tAfter the initial staggering of terms, nonlegislative citizen members shall be appointed for a term of four years. Appointments to fill vacancies, other than by expiration of a term, shall be for the unexpired terms. Vacancies shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointments. All members may be reappointed.\n\t\t\tThe Advisory Council shall be chaired by the Secretary of Health and Human Resources or his designee. The Advisory Council shall select a vice-chairman from among its membership. A majority of the members shall constitute a quorum. The Advisory Council shall meet at least two times each year and shall meet at the call of the chairman or whenever the majority of the members so request.\n\t\t\tThe Advisory Council shall have the authority to create subgroups with additional stakeholders, experts, and state agency representatives.","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A","next_prefix":"C"},"2":{"id":242473,"text":"Members shall receive no compensation for the performance of their duties but shall be reimbursed for all reasonable and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties as provided in §§ 2.2-2813 and 2.2-2825.","type":"section","prefixes":["C"],"prefix":"C","entire_prefix":"C","prefix_anchor":"C","level":1,"prior_prefix":"B","next_prefix":"D"},"3":{"id":242474,"text":"The Advisory Council shall have the following duties, in addition to duties that may be necessary to fulfill its purpose as described in subsection A:","type":"section","prefixes":["D"],"prefix":"D","entire_prefix":"D","prefix_anchor":"D","level":1,"prior_prefix":"C","next_prefix":"D1"},"4":{"id":242475,"text":"To review multi-agency efforts to support collaboration and a unified approach on public health responses related to marijuana and marijuana legalization in the Commonwealth and to develop recommendations as necessary.","type":"section","prefixes":["D","1"],"prefix":"1","entire_prefix":"D1","prefix_anchor":"D1","level":2,"prior_prefix":"D","next_prefix":"D2"},"5":{"id":242476,"text":"To monitor changes in drug use data related to marijuana and marijuana legalization in the Commonwealth and the science and medical information relevant to the potential health risks associated with such drug use, and make appropriate recommendations to the Department of Health and the Board.","type":"section","prefixes":["D","2"],"prefix":"2","entire_prefix":"D2","prefix_anchor":"D2","level":2,"prior_prefix":"D1","next_prefix":"D3"},"6":{"id":242477,"text":"Submit an annual report to the Governor and the General Assembly for publication as a report document as provided in the procedures of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems for the processing of legislative documents and reports. The chairman shall submit to the Governor and the General Assembly an annual executive summary of the interim activity and work of the Advisory Council no later than the first day of each regular session of the General Assembly. The executive summary shall be submitted as a report document as provided in the procedures of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems for the processing of legislative documents and reports and shall be posted on the General Assembly’s website.","type":"section","prefixes":["D","3"],"prefix":"3","entire_prefix":"D3","prefix_anchor":"D3","level":2,"prior_prefix":"D2"}},"ancestry":[{"id":14477,"edition_id":1,"name":"General Provisions","identifier":"6","label":"chapter","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13297,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:48:16","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:48:16","permalink":{"id":219583,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":14477,"identifier":"6","token":"4.1\/II\/6","url":"\/4.1\/II\/6\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13297,"edition_id":1,"name":"Cannabis Control Act","identifier":"II","label":"subtitle","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13129,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:35","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:35","permalink":{"id":219415,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13297,"identifier":"II","token":"4.1\/II","url":"\/4.1\/II\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13129,"edition_id":1,"name":"Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Control","identifier":"4.1","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:19","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:19","permalink":{"id":218569,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13129,"identifier":"4.1","token":"4.1","url":"\/4.1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":71934,"structure_id":14477,"section_number":"4.1-600","catch_line":"Definitions","url":"\/4.1-600\/","token":"4.1\/II\/6\/4.1-600","metadata":false},{"id":57902,"structure_id":14477,"section_number":"4.1-601","catch_line":"Virginia Cannabis Control Authority created; 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A.<\/span> The Cannabis Public Health Advisory Council (the Advisory Council) is established as an advisory council to the Board<\/span>. The purpose of the Advisory Council is to assess and monitor public health issues<\/span>, trends, and impacts related to marijuana and marijuana legalization and make recommendations regarding health warnings, retail marijuana and retail marijuana products<\/span> safety and product composition, and public health awareness, programming, and related resource needs. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> The Advisory Council shall have a total membership of 21 members that shall consist of 14 nonlegislative citizen members and seven ex officio members. Nonlegislative citizen members of the Council shall be citizens of the Commonwealth and shall reflect the racial, ethnic, gender, and geographic diversity of the Commonwealth. Nonlegislative citizen members shall be appointed as follows: four to be appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules, one of whom shall be a representative from the Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth, one of whom shall be a representative from the Virginia Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, one of whom shall be a representative from the Medical Society of Virginia, and one of whom shall be a representative from the Virginia Pharmacists Association; six to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Delegates, one of whom shall be a representative from a community services<\/span> board<\/span>, one of whom shall be a person or health care provider with expertise in substance use disorder treatment and recovery, one of whom shall be a person or health care provider with expertise in substance use disorder prevention, one of whom shall be a person with experience in disability rights advocacy, one of whom shall be a person with experience in veterans health care, and one of whom shall be a person with a social or health equity<\/span> background; and four to be appointed by the Governor, subject to confirmation by the General Assembly, one of whom shall be a representative of a local health district, one of whom shall be a person who is part of the cannabis industry, one of whom shall be an academic researcher knowledgeable about cannabis, and one of whom shall be a registered medical cannabis patient.\n\t\t\tThe Secretary of Health and Human Resources, the Commissioner of Health, the Commissioner of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services, the Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services, the Director of the Department of Health Professions, the Director of the Department of Forensic Science, and the Chief Executive Officer of the Virginia Cannabis Control Authority<\/span>, or their designees, shall serve ex officio with voting privileges<\/span>. Ex officio members of the Advisory Council shall serve terms coincident with their terms of office.\n\t\t\tAfter the initial staggering of terms, nonlegislative citizen members shall be appointed for a term of four years. Appointments to fill vacancies, other than by expiration of a term, shall be for the unexpired terms. Vacancies shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointments. All members may be reappointed.\n\t\t\tThe Advisory Council shall be chaired by the Secretary of Health and Human Resources or his designee. The Advisory Council shall select a vice-chairman from among its membership. A majority of the members shall constitute a quorum. The Advisory Council shall meet at least two times each year and shall meet at the call of the chairman or whenever the majority of the members so request.\n\t\t\tThe Advisory Council shall have the authority<\/span> to create subgroups with additional stakeholders, experts, and state agency representatives. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

C.<\/span> Members shall receive no compensation for the performance of their duties but shall be reimbursed for all reasonable and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties as provided in §§ 2.2-2813<\/a> and 2.2-2825<\/a>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

D.<\/span> The Advisory Council shall have the following duties, in addition to duties that may be necessary to fulfill its purpose as described in subsection A: <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

1.<\/span> To review multi-agency efforts to support collaboration and a unified approach on public health responses related to marijuana and marijuana legalization in the Commonwealth and to develop recommendations as necessary. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

2.<\/span> To monitor changes in drug use data related to marijuana and marijuana legalization in the Commonwealth and the science and medical information relevant to the potential health risks associated with such drug use, and make appropriate recommendations to the Department of Health and the Board<\/span>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

3.<\/span> Submit an annual report to the Governor and the General Assembly for publication as a report document as provided in the procedures of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems for the processing of legislative documents and reports. The chairman shall submit to the Governor and the General Assembly an annual executive summary of the interim activity and work of the Advisory Council no later than the first day of each regular session of the General Assembly. The executive summary shall be submitted as a report document as provided in the procedures of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems for the processing of legislative documents and reports and shall be posted on the General Assembly’s website. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nCANNABIS PUBLIC HEALTH ADVISORY COUNCIL; PURPOSE; MEMBERSHIP; QUORUM; MEETINGS;\nCOMPENSATION AND EXPENSES; DUTIES (\u00a7 4.1-603)\n\nA. The Cannabis Public Health Advisory Council (the Advisory Council) is\nestablished as an advisory council to the Board. The purpose of the Advisory\nCouncil is to assess and monitor public health issues, trends, and impacts\nrelated to marijuana and marijuana legalization and make recommendations\nregarding health warnings, retail marijuana and retail marijuana products safety\nand product composition, and public health awareness, programming, and related\nresource needs.\n\nB. The Advisory Council shall have a total membership of 21 members that shall\nconsist of 14 nonlegislative citizen members and seven ex officio members.\nNonlegislative citizen members of the Council shall be citizens of the\nCommonwealth and shall reflect the racial, ethnic, gender, and geographic\ndiversity of the Commonwealth. Nonlegislative citizen members shall be appointed\nas follows: four to be appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules, one of whom\nshall be a representative from the Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth, one of\nwhom shall be a representative from the Virginia Chapter of the American Academy\nof Pediatrics, one of whom shall be a representative from the Medical Society of\nVirginia, and one of whom shall be a representative from the Virginia\nPharmacists Association; six to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of\nDelegates, one of whom shall be a representative from a community services\nboard, one of whom shall be a person or health care provider with expertise in\nsubstance use disorder treatment and recovery, one of whom shall be a person or\nhealth care provider with expertise in substance use disorder prevention, one of\nwhom shall be a person with experience in disability rights advocacy, one of\nwhom shall be a person with experience in veterans health care, and one of whom\nshall be a person with a social or health equity background; and four to be\nappointed by the Governor, subject to confirmation by the General Assembly, one\nof whom shall be a representative of a local health district, one of whom shall\nbe a person who is part of the cannabis industry, one of whom shall be an\nacademic researcher knowledgeable about cannabis, and one of whom shall be a\nregistered medical cannabis patient.\n\t\t\tThe Secretary of Health and Human Resources, the Commissioner of Health, the\nCommissioner of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services, the Commissioner\nof Agriculture and Consumer Services, the Director of the Department of Health\nProfessions, the Director of the Department of Forensic Science, and the Chief\nExecutive Officer of the Virginia Cannabis Control Authority, or their\ndesignees, shall serve ex officio with voting privileges. Ex officio members of\nthe Advisory Council shall serve terms coincident with their terms of office.\n\t\t\tAfter the initial staggering of terms, nonlegislative citizen members shall\nbe appointed for a term of four years. Appointments to fill vacancies, other\nthan by expiration of a term, shall be for the unexpired terms. Vacancies shall\nbe filled in the same manner as the original appointments. All members may be\nreappointed.\n\t\t\tThe Advisory Council shall be chaired by the Secretary of Health and Human\nResources or his designee. The Advisory Council shall select a vice-chairman\nfrom among its membership. A majority of the members shall constitute a quorum.\nThe Advisory Council shall meet at least two times each year and shall meet at\nthe call of the chairman or whenever the majority of the members so request.\n\t\t\tThe Advisory Council shall have the authority to create subgroups with\nadditional stakeholders, experts, and state agency representatives.\n\nC. Members shall receive no compensation for the performance of their duties but\nshall be reimbursed for all reasonable and necessary expenses incurred in the\nperformance of their duties as provided in §§ 2.2-2813 and 2.2-2825.\n\nD. The Advisory Council shall have the following duties, in addition to duties\nthat may be necessary to fulfill its purpose as described in subsection A:\n\n 1. To review multi-agency efforts to support collaboration and a unified\n approach on public health responses related to marijuana and marijuana\n legalization in the Commonwealth and to develop recommendations as necessary.\n\n 2. To monitor changes in drug use data related to marijuana and marijuana\n legalization in the Commonwealth and the science and medical information\n relevant to the potential health risks associated with such drug use, and make\n appropriate recommendations to the Department of Health and the Board.\n\n 3. Submit an annual report to the Governor and the General Assembly for\n publication as a report document as provided in the procedures of the Division\n of Legislative Automated Systems for the processing of legislative documents\n and reports. The chairman shall submit to the Governor and the General\n Assembly an annual executive summary of the interim activity and work of the\n Advisory Council no later than the first day of each regular session of the\n General Assembly. The executive summary shall be submitted as a report\n document as provided in the procedures of the Division of Legislative\n Automated Systems for the processing of legislative documents and reports and\n shall be posted on the General Assembly’s website.\n\nHISTORY: 2021, Sp. Sess. I, cc. 550, 551.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}